Posted by MariaDean on Dec 2, 2018 in General | Comments Off on Should I Buy a Used Crane?

Obtaining an overhead crane is an expensive decision so used marque usually are at least thought of as an option. Obviously it is a cheaper method on the surface, but is it really cheaper? Following are some inquiries to consider.

1 . Is the manufacturer still in business? There have been lots of consolidations, closures and bankruptcies in the crane industry. Considering able to get parts for your crane? Many of the older cranes are certainly more robust and are a built-up design which allows you to invest in many of the parts off the shelf due to them being field standard components (NEMA rated for example). This concern for motors, contactors, bearings, and couplings to name a few.

However many of the cranes have components that were specifically made for the exact crane manufacturer and do not use standard components. You may have in making modifications to components to make the retro-fit parts fit the right way. Many crane manufacturers require special motor shafts, providers, collector shoes, electrification systems to name a few which may or may not often be readily available.

2 . What are my liabilities if I buy a blessure and make any modifications to it? Manufacturer’s liability is completely treatable once you modify their crane. Most used cranes demand some type of re-span which requires major mechanical modifications.

Should the crane is especially old, the box girders may be riveted girders which are difficult to modify, or arch beam type for patent track design which have been deemed unsafe. Properly executed, an engineer will need to design and put his PE closure any modification to a bridge girder.

3. Is the incision the right capacity for my application? Bigger is typically better around crane applications but you need to consider the costs of getting far on a higher than needed capacity? There are additional costs to contemplate. The crane is heavier and will require a larger runway and footings to support the dead load of a perfect crane. Every replacement part such as the motors, brakes, contactors, plus wire rope all are larger and more expensive to replace. For anybody who is making changes or upgrades to the electrical system just like variable frequency drives those components will also be larger and many more expensive.

4. Does the crane match my existing power? There are many stories of a customer buying an old crane and next figuring out it is DC or the wrong voltage. You then facial area expensive motor changes or step up or step all the way down transformers. Also is the electrical delivery system up to date. Is definitely the electrification old open wire type, or an past it type of bar? It is very expensive to replace the electrical for an old crane.

5. Are you ready to give up the peace of mind on the warranty? Used cranes typically carry no warranty. Innovative cranes now commonly come with 1 year parts and hard work with an additional year on parts for all non-wear merchandise. You also get up to date parts manuals so you can order portions from the manufacturer. Refer to This Site